Religion News: Controversial McDonald’s opens in Vatican

Thursday

Jan 5, 2017 at 2:01 AM

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WEEK IN RELIGIONCardinals at the Vatican don’t have to go far when the craving for a Big Mac hits. On Dec. 30, a new McDonald’s restaurant opened in a Vatican-owned building in the Pio Brogo district of Rome, but has faced opposition since the plans for the restaurant were announced in October. Because of the controversial location, being on Vatican property, the well-known burger joint kept the grand opening low key. The Italian newspaper La Repubblica reported that McDonald’s will pay the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See more than $30,000 a month for the bottom floor of the building. Although the McDonald’s takes up 5,800 square feet, the bottom floor of the building is also occupied by several senior cardinals, such as Gerhard Ludwig Muller, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which is the office responsible for overseeing church orthodoxy. President emeritus of the Pontifical Academy for Life Cardinal Elio Sgreccia, who has been critical of the restaurant’s location since the proposed plans were announced, said the McDonald’s is a disgrace. He said the rent money could be better used to help “the area’s needy … and suffering, as the Holy Father teaches.”— More Content Now

SURVEY SAYSModern worship, literal Bible interpretation helping churches growThe implementation of modern styles of worship and teaching a literal interpretation of the Bible are two reasons some Canadian churches are experiencing positive growth rates, according to a recent study. According a study, titled “Theology Matters: Comparing the Traits of Growing and Declining Mainline Protestant Church Attendees and Clergy” found that churches with positive growth rates are modernizing their worship and are sticking to a literal interpretation of scripture. The study also found that an emphasis on evangelism was key to church growth. The survey was conducted in Ontario, Canada.— More Content Now

GOOD BOOK?“On Living” by Kerry EganAs a hospice chaplain, Kerry Egan didn’t offer sermons or prayers, unless they were requested; in fact, she found, the dying rarely want to talk about God, at least not overtly. Instead, she discovered she’d been granted an invaluable chance to witness firsthand what she calls the “spiritual work of dying” — the work of finding or making meaning of one’s life, the experiences it contained and the people who have touched it. Instead of talking, she mainly listened: To stories of hope and regret, shame and pride, mystery and revelation and secrets held too long. Most of all, though, she listened as her patients talked about love. This isn’t a book about dying — it’s a book about living. Each of Egan’s patients taught her something; in this moving and beautiful book, she imparts their poignant and profound lessons.— Thorndyke Press

THE WORDcelebrant: One who conducts a religious rite, especially a Christian priest.— ReligionStylebook.com

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